Identification clip



1953 s. ZUCKERMAN 2,624,083

IDENTIFICATION CLIP Filed Jan. 30, 1951 INVEN TOR. JMney Z ac/rermnr/ ATTORNEY I Patented Jan. 6, 1953 OFFICE IDENTIFICATION CLIP Sidney Zuckerman, Freehold, N. J assignor of one-third to Albert C. Nolte Application January 30, 1951, Serial No. 208,515

1 Claim.

This invention relates to clips adapted to fasten identification tags and like objects to a larger piece of fabric, or other puncturable material.

An object of this invention is to provide a clip or fastener which will not injure the fingers of the operator while he is applying same.

Another object of this invention is to provide a clip which may be readily removed from its fastening position.

The clips heretofore constructed were subject to at least two defects which this clip is designed to overcome. The first defect isthat the home user, when he is unclipping the tag from his clothing after their return from a dry-cleaning establishment, many times accidentally punctures his finger, since there is no flap preventing the piercing tongue from doing so. Machine-applied staples which avoid the above defects are unsatisfactory as they cannot be readily removed by hand without tearing the fabric. The second defeet that the hand-applied clips are subject to is that they often disengage themselves too readily and, therefore, their entire purpose is lost. This clip, however, may be locked in place.

Other objects and other uses of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows:

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a cross-section of the clip in open position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, the clip being in closed or fastening position; and

Figure 3 is a plan view of the clip in fastening position.

Referring specifically to Figure 1, the clip generally indicated at 4 comprises a piece of thin metal strip which has been bent at 6a and 1a into substantially Z-shaped form. On the upper portion 6 of the Z, a V-shaped piece is downwardly struck to provide a tongue and fabric uncturing member. The connecting portion 1 of the 2 has a circular opening 8 formed therein, which opening is in substantially vertical alignment with the v-shaped tongue 5 of upper portion 6. A lower portion 9 completes the Z-shaped formation of the clip 4. The free end of portion 9 is upwardly bent as at 9a to form a locking flange 10.

In operation, a tag H is located in a desired position on a piece of fabric or other material I2, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The clip 4 which is in open or expanded position as shown in Fig-' ure 1 is placed along the edge of the material in registering relation with the tag H. The user then compresses the upper member 6 towards member 9 to collapse the clip into the position shown in Figure 2. While this action is under way, the V-shaped tongue 5 pierces the tag II and fabric 12 and passes through the hole 8, until it bears against the lower portion 9 of the clip. On striking this portion, the V-shaped tongue 5 2 will be bent or cammed to the position shown in Figure 2. It is to be noted that the lower member 9 prevents the tongue 5 from pricking the operators fingers as is the case with many tags in use today.

Flange member 19 is then bent onto the upper portion 6 to the position substantially shown in Figure 2. In this position the flange l9 acts as a lock preventing accidental opening and disengagement of the clip.

In order to accomplish the opening of the clip and subsequent removal of the tag II from the fabric 12, the operator inserts his thumbnail or any other thin object between the flange l0 and the upper member 6 and bends this flange clockwise as viewed in the drawings, to a position in which it is at substantially right angles to the lower member 9. He then pulls the flange I00 downwardly and in doing so rotates the member 1 counterclockwise about the edge 6a. This operation causes the hole 8 in portion 1 to be pulled away from the tongue 5 leaving the parts in substantially the Z-shaped configuration as shown in Figure 1, except that the upper member 8 would be lying flush with the tag ll. Having opened the clip he merely removes the same from the tag and fabric.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not wish, however. to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a device of the character described, a substantially Z-shaped clip comprising an upper, connecting and lower portion, a pointed tongue extending from said upper portion, a circular opening in said connecting portion, a locking flange extending from said lower portion, said parts so arranged so that when said clip is collapsed said tongue passes through said opening and is bent towards the free end of said lower portion, said locking flange adapted to be folded over said upper portion to lock said parts in their collapsed position.

SIDNEY ZUCKERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

